Ensalada de Palmitos y Maíz (Hearts of Palm and Corn Salad)

Hearts of Palms (palmitos) are a vegetable that comes from the core of the stem of certain  palm trees. They taste a lot like artichokes, but I like the taste and texture of palmitos better. Canned hearts of palm are packed in water and can be found in Latin markets and large supermarkets in the ‘ethnic’ food section. In Colombia, hearts of palm are use in salads, rice dishes, scrambled eggs and other traditional recipes, especially in Los Llanos Orientales region of the country.

This time I made a simple and colorful salad with hearts of palms, corn, avocado, lettuce, tomato and red onion, with a refreshing cilantro and lime dressing. I served it with roasted chicken and it was a perfect summer lunch.

Buen provecho!

Ingredients:
(2 servings)

1/2 head of green leaf lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces
1 (14 oz) can of hearts of palms, sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1 cup of cooked sweet corn
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 taespoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to your taste

Directions

1. Place the lettuce, hearts of palms, tomato, avocado and red onion on a platter.
2. In a small bowl mix the cilantro, vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Add to the salad, mix well and serve.